For the third year running, a long queue of sorority girls in warm-but-ugly footwear ("Winter Crocs," says fashionisto Brian Moylan) has lined the block of UGG's Madison Avenue flagship, daily, in the week before Christmas.

"Despite our better advice, people swarm to the suede-and-shearling moon boots like they're uhh… going out of style," Refinery 29 quips. "We're beyond going on and on about why we can't stand UGGs at this point," sniffs Shophound. "Tourists, they have to be, right?"

The fashionistas have a point: There are two other UGG stores in Manhattan, plus perhaps hundreds other stores UGG-selling stores, plus zillions of online commerce websites with embarrassing-to-say-out-loud names. (Looking at you, Zappos.) Anyway, this has been your field report from the trenches of mass retail mayhem of the day. And by "field" I mean "sitting indoors, glad I am nowhere near that wretched line." [Refinery29, Shophound, image via Shophound]